State Street Chicago, 1999. One summer that changes everything. An unlikely trio: Felicia 'Fe Fe' Stevens, daughter of fiercely protective mother; Precious Brown, daughter of a prominent church Elder; and Stacia Buchanan, daughter of a Gangster Disciple Queen-Pin. They have a simple friendship, whiling away sunny days with games of Double Dutch. But when Fe Fe invites mysterious Tonya into their fold, life as they know it will never be the same again. Last Summer on State Street is a profound coming-of-age story about the restorative power of community, the claiming of one's own past, and the defining friendships which form the heartbeat of our lives.

Linger on the mezzanines of fantastic movie palaces like the Oriental, sample the confectionary delights of Krantz Candies or recklessly splurge on dress shields or mustache wax at dime stores like Kresges or Woolworths. Allow yourself to be enchanted by the painstakingly prepared displays at Marshall Fields, but leave plenty of time to visit Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co., The Fair, Montgomery Ward, Goldblatts, Wieboldts and the Boston Store. Above all, meet the people behind the glitter and glamour of State Street who poured so much heartfelt energy into making it the magical place that it was. From its first bricks to future projects, Robert P. Ledermann lovingly recounts the history of this unique thoroughfare.

"This book vividly recreates ... a Christmas holiday trip down State Street. You will visit many of the major shops and stores that existed during the 1940's and beyond, viewing old display windows and getting reacquainted with famous Christmas characters ..."--p. [4] of cover.

Street level discretion -- Three pathologies: the indifferent, the enforcer, and the caregiver -- A gymnastics of the self: coping with the everyday pressures of street-level work -- When the rules run out: informal taxonomies and peer-level accountability -- Impossible situations: on the breakdown of moral integrity at the frontlines of public service